The Necromongor and The Furyan
by ChildOfFury93
Summary: A story with some fun Vaako beginnings and pairings. Chapter 5 up. Reveiw :
1. Chapter 1

The Necromongor and the Furyan

Chapter 1

_They are a plague that now sweeps through the worlds of man. Leaving behind a trail of dead planets and towering icons, monuments to their unholy crusade. They are Necromongors; a dark army that will convert or kill every last human life. Unless they can be stopped. _

_In normal times, evil would be fought by good. But in times like these, it must be confronted by another kind of evil._

_**Jess- **_

"_Hola chica!_" rings the voice of my always giddy, always loud, loyal friend, Tish Tompkins. She runs up to me and hugs me around my middle like we haven't seen each other in twenty years, in reality it's probably only been all of seven hours. We were standing outside Anderville High School, the school day was over, it was the weekend, and the air was buzzing with energy.

"So what's good this weekend Jess?" she asks excitedly.

I've known Tish and her big brother Tom almost all their lives. Tish is sixteen, Tom is seventeen, and I'm eighteen. My name is Jess Casper, I am the leader of the organization Lost Child Society. For those of you who don't know what L.C.S. is, here are the basics: we give kids a safe haven, a place to go when they are abandoned, we rescue them from abuse and slavery, keep them in school and healthy, and most importantly; make them feel wanted.

Tom and Tish Tompkins help me run this empire of underage former slaves, ex gang bangers, fighters, orphans, abused and all around down-and-out children. As well as my other close friends, it's sort of a family thing. Even Tom Tompkins Sr. helps out in any way he can, usually donating some of the money he gets from being a merc that goes by the name of Toombs. Yeah I know, a _merc _that donates money for a good cause is pretty ironic and hard to believe.

So right now you're probably wondering why a teenage girl would want to run an empire, and why her parents would let her. The truth is ladies and gentlemen, I've never known my mother. Not even her name. And that the whole L.C.S. thing is sort of a tradtion…thing… on my father's side…sort of. All I know about my lineage is what my surrogate grandfather Pope Joe Williams, or Pop-Pop, has begrudgingly told me after years of prodding. I inherited this tradition from my father's race, on what is probably a dead planet now, where orphaned children would band together in the back woods or deep jungles, or hell back yards, and help each other survive. My father is rather famous or infamous rather. An ex-soldier for the failing Federation's army, and also the most wanted man in the universe. Last time I checked, he was worth one point five million in Universal Denominations. I'm sure you've heard stories. Yeah…Richard B. Riddick.

But enough digressing.

"Let's see what are we doing this weekend? Hmmmm… Oh yeah, picking out this summer's vacation spot?"

"Really?" she squealed.

"Yup."

Tish proceeded to do a little dance.

"You're such a spaz." I said, and we both laughed.

"Go ahead to The Skate Park Tish, I gotta go to The Office and help set up for the show tonight. Late sweet heart, be safe."

"Okay, late Mom."

Mom is one of the various nicknames that I have. Partially because I'm one of the oldest females in our group, but more because my strong maternal instincts I guess. I lean against an open gate and watch till Tish she joins another group of friends and is out of sight. I linger there a little, like I always do. I make sure no fights break out, no kid is being bullied, and that some of the smaller elementary kids get across the street alright. I try to do this as much as possible during the school year. As I turned to leave a chill gripped the base of my spine, despite the heat. I actually had goose bumps. It was as if the air had been sucked out of the atmosphere. I could feel him in the space all around me, his presence was that strong. I could feel his penetrating eyes on my back. I didn't have to be a psychic to figure out who it was.

…_How does this guy sneak up on people! Maybe he thinks that there is no need conceal himself...Huh, what reason would he have for killing me? Not-a-one…_

But I steeled to fight for my life anyway.

Finally, from behind me:

"Jess." In his all too monstrously deep voice.

"Yes, Satan?" I said turning around. "Oh, Richard, sorry, I thought you were someone else!"

Yeah, I get a tad sarcastic when I might be facing eminent death.

Riddick smirked, then full out smiled, showing off a perfect set of white teeth. Cheeks slightly dimpling when he did.

…_Hey wait…Don't I smirk first then full out smile, my cheeks kinda dimple…_

"Sweet mother, I have your smile."

…_Whew, hand-me-downs from my father never seem to end…_

Riddick is breathing hard and holding his side. He is bleeding profusely. He slips his goggles up, we were in the shade of a rather large tree, it's just dark enough for him to do so, and looks into my eyes. His eyes are breathtaking, no question, but all I can see for a fleeting moment is a man who looked so much older than thirty-five. His eyes aren't that of a killer's, just of a person who has seen too many things that he never wanted to see, tired and full of pain.

"Help me Angel." He said as he started to fall.

I close the twenty foot gap that had been between us in record time. I catch him, though somewhat clumsily; it's a clean one hundred pound difference between us after all. I help him lie down gently, with a shaved head in my lap. I had always wondered who had given me the nickname Angel. Pop-Pop had called me that when I went to live with him when I was nine, but I had been called Angel long before that.

Now I know.

I pulled out my comm. and called The Skate Park's board shop where Tom works.

"Tom! Get to the high school now! I'm in the 50 row. And bring everybody."

"Why everybody?" Riddick asked, now woozy from the massive blood loss from his massive wound.

"Because that crew of four or five mercs that probably did this to you won't stand a chance against fifty or sixty pissed off street kids."

Riddick grinned and manage to reach up and brush my cheek with his fingertips before passing out.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Lord Marshal Zhylaw surveyed Pulsi Major, the biggest planet in the Pulsi system. The system was home to The Empire of the Lost Children. About one billion children and their sympathizers on Major and several billion throughout the five planets. But Lord Marshal was thinking about one very special child. The pretty little girl who ran the whole thing. Oh, and her father of course. He was still very upset with Riddick for killing twelve of his men and giving him the slip back on Kila. Zhylaw had just wanted to have a chat with the infamous man. But why trust the leader of the Necromongors right?_

…_But the ornery little convict hadn't gone unscathed…_

"_Vaako!" The Lord Marshal called._

"_Yes, my lord?" answered Vaako obediently coming over and bowing his head at his leader's side._

"_As you know, your comrades failed to bring me Richard B. Riddick. I want you and our best tracker team to comb through Pulsi and bring him and his daughter to me…alive." _

"_You want me and fifty other men to go after an injured man and a teenage girl?"_

"_**Don't dare question me Vaako!**__" Zhylaw's voice reverberated throughout the Necropolis. "Take it with the faith."_

_Vaako could feel the eyes of his peers on him: "Yes, my lord."_

_Zhylaw smiled, "There is no rush, take as long as you need." _

_This, Vaako knew, translated out to: 'Get this done yesterday.' _

"_But do be careful Vaako. The children are hostile little savages, as you know. Especially to those over eighteen."_

_**Riddick- **_My eyes fluttered open. I was in a bed, a large bed. In a large bedroom. I was in nothing but my briefs with the sheet pulled up to my chest.

…_Where's Angel?... _I thought groggily, then my adrenaline started pumping, and I was immediately alert. I sat up and the wound on my side made my body scream in protest. I pushed past the pain, I've been through a lot worse.

…_Where's Jess…Where am I? … What he fuck happened? … _ Ran through my mind as I started shifting my body and scanning the dark room with my goggle less eyes. I swung my leg out just as Jess walked into the room.

"Morning Sunshine-what are you doing! Stupid lay back down!"

She made me lay back and tucked my leg back in. She flicked on the light, I winced and she handed me my goggles.

"Do you know how long it took us to stop the bleeding? Shit, I hope you didn't open it I up…" She examined my wound "…no, it's good."

I had felt a wave of ease and relief at seeing that Angel—_Jess_—was okay. Something I wasn't use to feeling. I try to keep as unemotionally tied as possible, why I had begun to care so suddenly was beyond me.

…_Maybe it's because she's your kid dumb ass! …_Answered my conscious that was making itself present more and more these days. Especially since I found out Jack was now rotting on some hell-hole planet.

I shook my head and looked at the little girl who was crouching beside me and changing my bandages. I realize that she isn't so little. Jess is a beautiful girl if I do say so myself. I must have some strong genes because baby girl and I are identical. Except she's pretty and feminine and I'm a bit rough around the edges of course.

I became disturbingly aware of the fact my kid had filled out. And no, I ain't a fucking pervert. It's just that, looking at Jess' mature curves is giving me twisted sort of reality check. I realize that she's almost twenty, and that I'm getting old. It also makes me wonder how many punk ass teenage boys have tried to cop a feel.

I looked around Jess' room. It was covered with books and hundreds of pictures of Jess and other kids on the walls.

…_All her loyal subjects…_

Quite a few of them were of her and the Tish girl I had seen her with. But there was a framed photo with a bandana draped over it on the desk that Jess was now sitting in a chair by. It was an older picture, Jess looked to be about to be ten in it. She was standing with an older boy of about sixteen. They had on matching black bandannas and smiles for that matter. I recognize the boy from somewhere, but I can't place it. I look at Jess who had just been sitting there studying me, (I'm seeing more and more of my traits in her, and it's unsettling) and nodded toward the picture, and asked:

"Who is he? I've seen him recently…somewhere." A wave of sadness came over her features that made me uncomfortable and wish I hadn't asked.

"That was Mad Mike McPheron. And no, you haven't seen him recently. He died four years ago when the Necromongors destroyed the Dekron system."

I gritted my teeth when she had said, I glanced at the picture again. Then it hit me, hard.

…_**Vaako ! **__It was Lord Vaako, the goddamm __**Necromongor commander**__…_

"Are you sure he didn't convert?"

She jumped up out of her chair, fists clenched, icy green eyes on fire.

"_**No! He would never join those minless-murdering-mother-fuckers! He took me in when no one else gave a shit! He was the epitome of insubordination and rebellion. **_" Her voice went low, almost like a growl. "_Michael taught me what the true meaning of being a Lost Child was. __**He swore 'Death Before Conversion'!**_" Jess' eyes showed pure rage and sadness.

I softened my body language and turned my head away from her to show her I was ashamed for upsetting her so much. Even though I'm really not. I know when I'm right. Mad Mike McPheron is alive and he goes by Lord Vaako now. I looked back at her. She was relaxed even though her jaw was still working somewhat. It seemed like she had forgiven me for my error.

"Whatever." She said with a wave of her hand. "Go to sleep."

"I thought you said it was morning?"

"It is. As in one in the morning. Here's something to help you." With that she pulled a syringe out of nowhere and plunged it onto my arm. I felt drowsy immediately. But I fought off sleep to ask:

"How long have I been out?"

"Two weeks, you really needed rest."

…_Two weeks! Shit! …_

"Jess-"

"No, Riddick you need sleep."

"Jess its important-" My vision blurred and I couldn't hold my head up. I felt really relaxed all of a sudden. Whatever she had doped me with worked wonders. She smirked

"Night Poppa-Bear." She flicked off the light.

…_Great now I have a nickname… _And then I was out.

_As I slipped into fuckin' La-La Land, I knew that the Lord Marshal's best tracker team was closing in on us. And it was going to be headed by Lord Vaako, because he knew the lay of the land. This ain't gonna end well._

_**Riddick-**_

_I awoke to a blade on my throat. It was one of my own shivs. Jess was holding it nice and snug on my throat, not giving me a centimeter of wiggle room less I cut my own throat. Good girl. She didn't have to say a word. It was actual morning now, and the children would be up getting ready for school, she was warning me basically, saying: _

"_You're going to be around my people, my kids, you are not to harm anyone or I'll kill you in your sleep." _

_She removed the blade and backed up to the open doorway._

"_C'mon Poppa-Bear, meet The Family."_

_Her eyes were cold and her body language was as inviting as a rabid dog with its hackles raised. Her stare was penetrating and chilling. It was my stare. I had given it to her._

_My little Angel looked like a killer. _


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_Lord Vaako was on Pulsi Major now. It had been obvious that Riddick would be there. Jess was his child and a possible ally. Vaako smiled. The small part of him that was still Michael McPheron was excited to see her. But the Necromongor in him quickly crushed that emotion:_

"_You are to track her down and bring her back to Lord Marshal and nothing else! She is the enemy!"_

_His Michael McPheron and Necromongor sides had been fighting ever since he converted, he could feel himself going crazy. _

_Tracking Riddick was the easy part, getting onto Pulsi Major had been another story. It had taken them nearly a week and a half trying to breach L.C.S.'s security. The Kids were tight and smart. The Necromongor troop didn't have a chance to sneak in anywhere without being noticed. That is until they intercepted a supply shipment. They killed the crew of Trusted Adults (Trusted Adults are former L.C.S. that are over eighteen but are still loyal to the cause of children.) and landed on Pulsi without a problem. Vaako knew exactly where the 'Riddick's' would be. He knew the city, neighborhood, street, and even the house Jess and her father would be in._

"_Not a house really." Vaako thought in retrospect._

_Lord Vaako felt a bit of nostalgia looking around his old stomping grounds. But that feeling was quickly washed away._

"_Remember your mission!" Zhylaw's voice chimed in his head every time he had a un-Necromongor thought._

_But Vaako couldn't stop the memories from coming back to him. The Skate Park…the High School…Bill's Liquor…his family, friends. It hurt to think about them. Especially Jess. Jess had been his best friend despite the six-year age difference. Her age hadn't even mattered. She was wise beyond her years and easy to get along with.. Vaako thought of the last time he saw her, at fourteen. So much older than that but still innocent, and already beautiful. In the time they had been friends, Jess had always taken care of him, fought for him and alongside him, kept him sane and from doing stupid shit. But most importantly, she had taken away his pain, and sometimes, Vaako thought, maybe she had truly lov-_

"_But none of that matters now. She is going to __**hate you now idiot**__." _

_That wasn't his Necromongor side speaking, it was Michael McPheron coming through loud and clear:_

"_She is going to hate you with every fiber of her being. You swore 'Death Before Conversion' but you __**lied**__. You've turned into the very thing she hates most and has vowed to destroy. For the past four years you have let her believe that you were dead, and now you are coming after her and her father? She is going to be scorned, and Hell will have no fury to be compared to it. You know Jess' temper and how she will try to get her retribution for what you've done, ten-fold. Way to go dumb-ass!"_

_Lord Vaako turned to his Second in Command, Lord Damascus. The one thing that Michael and Vaako could agree on is that Damascus was a sandy-asshole of a man. Always finding problems and complications where there weren't any. Especially in Vaako. Damascus was constantly running Vaako's actions through a fined tooth comb and jumping at the opportunity to undercut him. Like when he tried basically sabotaging Vaako when it came time to promote someone to First Commander. It was then that the Michael McPheron side had become harder to control. Michael had a flighty temper that was on a hair trigger when it came to being called out on a bull-shit accusation. It often took everything in Vaako to keep Michael from surfacing when around this inferior lord. Disgusted, Vaako looked away from Damascus. The troop was driving yet another stolen means of transportation; an eighteen-wheeler big rig. Vaako turned back to Damascus and said: _

"_Go to the outskirts, we will set up base there." _

_Damascus and the others in the cramped cab looked at him in shock and suspicion. It took him a moment to realize that he had spoken in his 'old voice'. The McPheron family is descended from New Zealand and Michael has a thick Kiwi accent._

"_Just practicing in case it is needed." Vaako said as cool and calm as possible. They, including Damascus, seemed to believe him, it was probably part of his plan they might of thought. That was part of the reason Lord Vaako had been chosen for the job. He used to be Michael McPheron. 'Mad Mike' knew the area, how Pulsi's people (children) worked, but most importantly, he knew how to deal with Jess._

"_Nice save Vaako baby." Teased his Michael side._

_Vaako gritted his teeth, he had slipped again. Like when he had questioned Zhylaw about going after Riddick. Michael McPheron was trying damn hard for control, his old behavior, his disobedience and defiance kept pushing toward the surface. Pushing too dangerously close._

_They were on the out skirts now. But Jess and her 'family' still lived another mile out in a huge mansion on an enormous plot of land with many guest houses. It was called Casper Place now, it used to be McPheron Manor, it was once his home._

"_What are your orders my Lord?" asked Damascus._

"_We wait for them to come to us. Let's set up camp." _

_Vaako thought about his resent slip-ups. He couldn't fail now, now when it was so close to the end. He couldn't be found out after all this time. He quickly put all thought of that out of his mind as he and his team set up and the Necromongor in him quieted Michael McPheron. He had one ever present thought as he settled in for a night of restless sleep: _

"_Please God, let Jess forgive me." _

_**Jess-**_ "C'mon guys! Breakfast is served! I wanna see bright eyes and bushy tails! Last day of school guys, you made it!" I yelled at least four times over the P.A. system so that the entire family would hear me.

"So, getting children up in the morning truly is like pulling teeth." Said Riddick who was leaning against a fridge sipping coffee, goggles off.

I laughed "Yup."

We sank into silence for a few moments. I swear I could reach out and touch the awkwardness between us. Sure he had come to me for help and I had given it to him without a second's hesitation. But he had to know about the violent brewing storm that lay behind these calm, cool, collect green eyes. He just had to sense the eighteen years of resentment that I had built up and just wanted to release on his ass. A bitter emotional fight of epic proportions would ensue sometime in the near future.

_...But who knows? He'll probably just slip away in the night when things get too tense between us. That's what he does in most situations anyway. And he'll never look back…_

"I know that you are…angry at me Jess." He said quietly.

…_Angry? Biggest understatement __**ever…**_

"There must be a lot of things you must want to say to me right now-"

"What is this, Richard?" I snapped. "Your desperate attempt at breaking the ice and becoming part of my life? You don't seem the type that actually gives a shit about anyone other than themselves."

I made my voice as matter-of-fact with as much spite and venom as possible. I probably just sounded angry and hurt, I hope he didn't notice.

"I want to help you kid." Riddick said quietly.

Now that pissed me off. I walked up on him and got in his face-well not really, he has six-inches on me-and said: "You're eighteen years too late. I don't want anything from you."

I took his cup from him and walked back over to the sink washed it. I turned back to face him, my voice matter of fact and uninterested again.

"And beside what good would it do? You being here I mean? You'll just take what you want from me until I can't contribute anymore and when things get too heavy around here you'll cop out and leave. And you won't look back. Just what you do in any other scenario, it's what you're good at. "

Something in his face changed when I said that last part. Like it had hit home, like it had hurt him in some way. Good. He deserved it. He hung his head as a few of the kids, Ben and Kelsey, walked in. "Hey guys. Morning."

"Morning Mom."

"Hey Mom."

I knew they were trying extremely hard not to turn around and stare at the brooding hulk that was my infamous father. Kelsey and Ben seemed to sense the tension so they went and sat down on the far side of the dining hall.

"Will you just listen to me?" he asked.

"Hmmm, probably not, so you can eat breakfast and then leave 'cause you're not needed here."

"_**Goddammit Jess! Stop being so stubborn!" **_he boomed. The windows actually shook, no shit. His mercurial eyes flashing in the dim light of the kitchen. The kitchen

"Mommy and Daddy fighting?" asked Tish cynically from the doorway. She, Tom, David, Jason, Mickey, and Matt were all standing there with their weapons drawn. They all had a bead on Riddick.

"It's alright guys. Riddick was just about to eat breakfast and _leave._" I looked at Riddick coldly as the rest of family filed in for breakfast.

_Several hours later…_

_**Jess- **_"Did you hear me Angel?" asked Tish.

"Hmm?" I said dazedly. I was doing dishes, or at least trying to.

"I asked if you were alright." Tish said, concerned.

"I'm good love." I said forcing a normal tone.

"Shitty liar."

"Shit happens." At that we both smiled. Then she starting rambling off the who, what, when, where, why of the things that were supposedly supposed to be going down this summer. Then her chatter tapered off, then stopped all together. This caught my attention, I glanced at her.

Tish's eyes were making the easily recognizable "checking-you-out-motion." For you slow people, that's an up-and-down elevator motion.

"_Damn!_" Tish whispered.

"Wha-" I started, then I turned around and saw what she was gawking at.

It was my father. Freshly showered and shirtless. I proceeded to throw up a little in my mouth.

"Tish that's _disgusting_!" I said completely grossed out and horrified.

"If you say so." She was still admiring Riddick's athletic physique. "Damn, girl you got some good genes…he's bomb."

"…and old enough to be your dad." I groaned frustrated.  
>"Yeah I know, but looking won't hurt anybody." She said with a wink. I rolled my eyes as she continued to stare at Riddick in all his murderous glory.<p>

Riddick had all his convict paraphernalia spread out the kitchen floor. He was crouched next to it, checking sights on guns, sharpness of blades and folding clothes. He was wearing combat boots shined to pristine gleam, black cargo pants, and as I mentioned, he was shirtless. Riddick's skin and short, thick, hair was still wet.

"Oh my God, he's cut!" Tish damn near squealed.

And he was. He was cut to perfection. Any young girl's dream, except mine of course. I was on the verge of hurling while Tish practically panted every time he moved and one of his muscles flexed. It also sort of pissed me off that he was walking around in his chiseled magnificence in a house full of hormone-crazed teenage girls. (I.e. Tish)…And then there was that tattoo. He had 'Angel' tattooed on the left side of his chest in cursive…over his heart. This damn thing drove me crazy. Every time I saw it or thought about it: _"Does he care or does he not? He cared __**enough **__at one point to get a tattoo… AHHHH!" _ran through my mind.

I walked over to him, picked up one of his shirts and threw it back down at him.

"Put a shirt on nasty ass!" I yelled at him.

He looked up at me and glanced at Tish then smirked. He stood and put on his shirt. (I swear I heard Tish sigh with disappointment.) He glanced at Tish again and continued smirking.

"Does your friend need to be hosed down?"

Ok, so that _was _funny. But I didn't even so much as crack a smile. He sensed my displeasure and went back to what he was doing. I went back over to Tish.

"Is everyone out of the house?" I asked.

"Yeah, they're all out at the Skate Park, swimming, or chilling somewhere." She said. "And Pop-Pop is coming over because…yeah. Why Jess? What's up?" She looked scared. Rightfully so. I hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"Go to the Skate Park, go swimming, whatever, and enjoy your summer ok?"  
>"No, Jess, I'm not gonna leave you alone with him. No, please don't do this." She was scared now.<p>

"It's alright Tish. I don't think he'll try anything here. Plus he's not in good condition."

She looked at me and set her jaw. She was determined not to leave me alone with Riddick.

"Please, Tish go. I don't want you here when-" I stopped.

"Is it because you don't want me to see you cry?" Tish whispered.

"Who said I was gonna cry?" I replied coldly.

"Why else would you want me to leave?" Tish said defiantly.  
>"Tish, please." I ground out low and firmly.<p>

"Alright." She said with a sigh of regret.

I hugged her tight and she started to leave. At the door she looked back at me:

"If you should need me."

"If I should need you." I said smiling grimly.

And she left.

_**Riddick-**_ I started packing my things away and was getting ready to leave. Jess' resentment hadn't come as a surprise, but it was her stubbornness that was frustrating me.

…_She is so damn thickheaded. Hmm, wonder where she got __**that**__ from… _

I looked at Jess, she had a grim look on her face. She looked older than eighteen. She is a lot more mature than the average eighteen year old girl as well, I decided. As I was packing I thought about all the shit she must have gone through as a child. Horrible things, things nobody had cared enough to protect her from. Suddenly, images of Jess being abused crashed into my head. Thoughts of her being hit, neglected…being touched.

Rage spilled out of my heart and poured into the rest of my body, adrenaline coursed through my veins, and my chest burned and ached as if on fire. This ache is the precursor to a fight and is a signal that my temper is getting the better of me. The fact that I was getting upset just then threw me off. I usually don't let anger blind my judgment or cloud my thoughts. What little emotions I do have I've learned to control. I guess the thought of my kid being abused is enough to piss me off.

Unless I'm told otherwise I can't be sure any of that happened. But, chances are…yeah…I'm pretty sure that Angel has seen quite a few rough times. If I do ever find out any of that shit is true, the people responsible are…well I've already said what I do people who hurt children.

I tried blocking the whole thing out of my head. Including the part that Jess' was my own flesh and blood. I couldn't afford getting too sentimental about her, I've tried that before. Shit always seems to hit the proverbial fan when I get too close to someone. But I'm not one to dwell on the past so I concentrated on the how the Hell I was going to get out of this mess. I came to Jess for help but she was too damned tied to these other kids. Taking it upon her young shoulders to take care of all these dependent kids, on her own, out of the goodness of her heart. Well good for her. At least I know she's not like me in that aspect. Looking out for other people only slows you down and puts you in danger. I guess that's a lesson she'll have to learn sooner or later. Especially with the Necromongors hot on our asses.

…_Oh yeah, I guess I should tell her about that…_

That was going to be hard. She didn't even want to look at me, let alone accept my help. Yeah that's right. I'm actually willing to help someone other than myself. And it's not because I want to play "Poppa-Bear" either. I don't see the point in letting the Necros destroy a planet full of kids because they want me.

…_Damn it, what the fuck was I thinking? I should've have never come here. I need to break my connection with Jess. It's a small, frail connection, but it's still there. I should've known this would happen: the Necros using Jess to get me. I tried to give her the heads up before, but now I see that I have to face Lord Vaako and the rest of the Necromongor armada on my own. Jess has to be kept out of the loop and "bond" broken. There is no easy or kind way to do this…_

_**Jess—**_Riddick was on edge. I could feel it. There also seemed to be something he wanted t tell me. But maybe I was wrong. Maybe. Riddick had finished packing and shouldered his bag and looked at me.

"I guess you wanna go out the back door, huh?" I said.

He nodded.

I led him to the door that opened up to the desert then woods. I remembered what he had said.

"What did you mean when you said that you wanted to help me?"

He walked up on me, slowly not really threateningly, so that we stood a foot apart. God…. I was so small compared to him.

"Nothing I can't handle, now that I think of it. Mercs are easy I don't die easy."

"So Mercs? That's all?"

"Yeah, Jess. Just Mercs. I guess I was wrong when I thought that you could help. I'll take care of it."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I could feel my chest start to hurt, like it always does when I'm pissed and about to get in a fight.

"Nothing." He stepped away from me.

"So I guess this means that you won't be answering any questions I have to ask?" I said, getting even madder.

He sighed. "So _**now**_ you want to talk? What questions could you possibly have?" His eyes were _sooo _cold, void of everything. Except evil.

"Oh I don't know. How about: Did you ever think of about me on my birthday or on yours, or at Christmas or when you were rotting away in prison? Did you ever think about changing your lifestyle and settling down? Did you ever think about what you could've done with your life? With _our _life? What about my mother? Did you ever wonder if I was doing okay or even alive? Or maybe how nice it might be if you weren't on the run and fighting for your life all the time?" I started off furious but my voice started breaking on the last two questions.

He side-ways grinned at me, showing off his beautiful smile, he was such a handsome man. I thought to myself: "_This is what Satan truly must look like. Gorgeous and completely evil._" He tilted his head and, still grinning, said:

"I figured you were smart enough to realize that you were just a mistake and that you weren't wanted. If not, the way your life has played out should've been a hint. I mean, look at your past Jess. No one stood up to take you, not even your own mother, God only knows where she is now, you got tossed around in the foster system and they couldn't even do anything for you. And then of course me…I wasn't much older than you are now when you were born into this fucked up universe. You were obviously not wanted, and still not wanted. I don't have any interest in you or the overgrown orphanage L.C.S.; it's all just a big mistake. Am I being clear? "

I just stared at him, trying to keep myself together. He smirked at my silence.

"You know? You're a good kid Jess."

"Yeah, and I bet that sexy smile of yours drives all the prostitutes crazy."

He smirked even wider at that. He turned and opened the door. Riddick glanced back over his shoulder at me.

"Don't go anywhere by yourself for a few days….and stay away from the Necromongors Angel." His eyes were cold and mischievous. He started walking out.

I said quietly, barely audible to my own ears; "I'm sorry I prayed to God to protect you."

Then he left. I don't know if he heard me. I guess it didn't matter. It was still for a moment. I was rubbing my hands together, rubbing them raw. The way I do when I'm frustrated or hurt.

From behind me: "Jess?"

The sudden sound in the silence made me jump. It was Pop-Pop; he must have come in when Riddick was busy mind fucking me.

"Are you alright Angel?" His eyes were so soft and full of love that it made my heart hurt even worse than it already was.

"Yeah I'm fine." I tried to play it off, but my voice was shaking and chocked with held back tears. Pop-Pop walked over and kissed my forehead, then sat down on the near-by couch.

"Sit down Jess."

I did as I was told. Pop-Pop is one of the few adults I take seriously and listen to.

…_Awww Pop-Pop, one of the few good male influences I've ever had…_

"I'm so sorry Angel. Sorry that you have to go through life with that monster's last name and reputation branded on you. But just realize all that you have accomplished without him."

"Yeah, you're right." I said standing, feeling a little better. But then I remembered what Riddick had said: _"You were just a mistake… obviously not wanted…" _I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach. I started pacing back and forth.

"Yeah, you're right." I repeated, chanting it almost. Trying like hell to believe it.

"Yeah, you're right. I'd be somewhere in a ditch dead or addicted to drugs or something. But I'm not, here I am. I never needed him. He wasn't there when I had to fight for my life in the projects. It was Mike who helped me get out of the ghetto. I didn't need his chronic-convict ass when I brought L.C.S. back!"

I was ranting now with tears running down my face. I picked up a vase I've never really liked and hurled it at the wall with an unsatisfying crash.__

"I was the one who raised L.C.S. from a backyard-tree-house-gang to a universal wide organization_**! **_Without him! I overcame poverty and abuse and a fucked up childhood! _**He wasn't there! He was never there-" **_I punched a wall_**"-when I had to live on the streets! **_Or when Vincent was beating or touching me…when that sick fuck would sneak into my room at night…." I was at a whisper now, I could barely stand, and I collapsed to my knees. I looked at my Pop-Pop through very blurred vision.

"Why doesn't he want me Pop-Pop?" I sounded and felt like the confused and broken 9 year old I had been when I first met my Pop-Pop.

And I cried. Hard. I cried until I hiccupped and coughed. I cried until I made myself sick.

_I cried for the first time in four years…_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_**Pop-Pop – **__I looked at Jess. Her head was in my lap. I was stroking her damp hair. She was calm now. For a few moments I feared she would cry herself into an apoplexy. My heart hurt for Jess. Here was a girl who has tried to do the right thing her whole life and receives nothing but hell and pain in return. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve such an asshole of a 'father' that was Riddick. She had grown and progressed so much from the scared 9-year-old that had slept in the back yard the first few weeks she lived with me. Dear Jess, an avid problem solver, but only when it came to problems other than her own._

_Jess is probably the smartest person I know (She was tested once, the girl's IQ is some in the high one-hundreds.) and also the most confused human beings alive. I can't count how many seminars, speeches, class visits, assemblies, group discussions, and interviews where she has said: _

"_If your parent or parents walk out on you, please, please just remember, it's __**not**__ your fault. It has nothing to do with you. There is nothing wrong with you. There is something wrong with __**them**__." _

_Too bad she can't listen to her own advice._

_Tish, who I had stayed right outside the door after Jess had told her to leave, and whom I swore I would have to hog tie to keep from going after Riddick, helped me carry Jess to her room. When we laid Jess on her bed, I could tell she was emotionally and physically worn out. The poor girl was a mess. Rage filled me, I wanted to go after Riddick as badly as Tish, but Jess didn't need her grandfather dead or in jail right now. I had to be strong for her. But it was going to be alright, I assured myself and Tish as we left Jess' room. Once the Family, hell all of the L.C.S., found out the wrong that been done to its matriarch, the Child Queen herself, it was CTW. Circle The Wagons._

_Riddick better thank his lucky stars that Michael McPheron wasn't alive to see this happen._

_**Jess- **_I looked around my room. Well, it was _my_ room now; it used to be Mikey's. I smiled at that. He _hated_ being called Mikey.

…_Correction, he __**used **__to hate being called that…_Chimed the cruel-realist of a voice in my head, reminding me that Michael was gone forever, and that he would never roll his eyes at me again for taunting him with his childhood nick-name. I expected fresh tears to come at the realization, but they didn't. I was too exhausted to cry, my head was throbbing, and I was hot. Tell-tell signs that I'd had a whopper of a crying spell. I hate crying, actually. Even though I know it's healthy to do it, it makes me feel like I'm weak.

So I got up and started pacing the spacious room, swinging my arms back and forth. With out warning I jumped up in the air and did a round house kick (Sub-consciously I think I aimed my foot somewhere in the vicinity that Jess head would be.) and landed perfectly on the floor with cat-like grace. I started doing spinning kicks till I got close to the wall. I took in a quick breath and began doing back-flips. After a few, I switched it up and began bobbing and weaving, jabbing and swinging at the air. I repeated this work out a couple of times till I was ready to collapse. Finally I rested against my desk.

But wouldn't you know it, a flashback hit me. I had been reclined in this same stance, some four years ago. Usually I would fight off memories about good times with Michael, but this one…this one I think about every day, for fear I might forget if I don't. So I closed my eyes and let the memories of a summer four years ago come back…..

_It's a midsummer's evening in Anderville. Hometown to Michael "Mad Mike" McPheron and all the McPheron clan. He and his family have just spent the day barbequing, swimming, and having a good time. One last hoorah before Michael has to head off-world. He's going to Dekron System for a charity event. They need a famous young face there to draw the crowds and money, anything for the kids. _

_The sun is going down, but the party is nowhere near over. A bon fire is started and the lights in the pool come on, but the happiness and laughter don't even skip a beat. Mad Mike is making his way around the party to different groups of friends when he notices that the youngest member of his tight circle isn't anywhere to be seen. But it doesn't take him long to figure out where the real life of the party has gone. He does an impromptu cannon-ball into the pool and heads into the house, trunks dripping._

_She's in his room of course, just where he knew she'd be. She's standing at the desk near the window, with a towel wrapped around her wet body, watching the sunset over the desert. Michael thinks about grabbing her sides and play fighting with her, but right away he senses something isn't right. _

"_Angel, what's wrong girl?" His thickens his accent to play off his worry._

_Silence._

"…_You're not mad that I'm not letting you go to Dekron with me, right?"_

_She half laughs: "Jeeze Mike, I'm not __**that**__ childish. It's just that…"_

_What he hears in her voice makes his stomach coil. He can tell she's been crying. _

_He reaches out and turns her around to face him. "Jess, please. Tell me what's wrong." _

"_I don't want you to go. I have a bad feeling."_

_Michael knows there is truth to this statement. Jess has always been insanely intuitive. But he senses that there is more than what she is telling him._

_He tilts his head, inquiringly: "Anything else you want to add to that?" _

_She's silent for a moment, and then looks up at him. Big green eyes look pleadingly into his bright hazels. _

"_I don't want you to leave."_

_And that was all that needed to be said. The message was clear. Michael and Jess were extremely close, despite the six year age difference. Some would have claimed romantically close, but it had never gone to that. But, maybe, maybe if she had been two years older…yeah their relationship would have been A LOT different, he would think._

_Mad Mike looked at the freshly turned 14 year old in front of him. Beautiful already, even at this tender age. Intelligent, witty, loyal to a fault, and heartbroken that her best friend was leaving her behind. But he had a plan that would hopefully make their parting easier, if not memorable._

_Jess saw the mischievous look in Michael's eyes. A devilish glint that let her know that there was something afoot and that he had a trick up his sleeve. Her heart immediately began beating faster._

"_I've shown you a lot of stuff these past few years, huh?'"_

_Jess knew she was being led somewhere, a place she didn't know, but curiosity made her answer:_

"_Yup, skateboarding, surfin', moto-cross, Bob Marley, drinkin', brawlin'…" she looked over both her shoulders, as if making sure no one would hear "…weed." They both laughed._

"_In other words, a lot of first time experiences."_

"…_yeah."_

"_Well, I wanna give you another first." _

_Jess took in all of Michael McPheron at that moment. His still dripping swim trunks, his wash-board abs and bare chest, his teenage frame was starting to fill out with muscle that he would carry into his adult manhood body. Pale skin, ebony black hair, and beautiful hazel eyes._

"_And what would that be?" _

_He smiled a wicked smile then swooped forward without warning. Jess barely had time to gasp before his mouth covered hers in a kiss. Her first instinct was to push him away, but then she remembered who she was with. Michael who had taken her in off the streets, who'd given her a home, who'd set her up for nothing but success. Her best friend and confidant. Jess told her rigid to body relax and pay attention to what Mike was doing._

_His soft lips moved playfully with hers, then he would slow down and she mimicked the movements back on his lips. Michael smiled to himself, she had always been a quick learner. He slanted his lips over hers, getting a better fit. Her hands went up to his chest, while one of his gently pulled off her towel, and then he put his arms around her. Jess hesitated for a second at having there almost naked bodies pressed together. But then she felt the soft mouth on hers demanding an answer, which she happily gave. After a moment of him coaxing she slipped her tongue into his mouth. She was glad she did, because he eagerly started sucking on it. Jess whimpered and pushed closer. But Michael pulled back for air, and to stop them from going any further. They were both a little shocked to find that Jess had slipped her arms up around his neck and that her body had risen fully up against his. (So much so that she stood on her tip-toes.) And Michael had her pushed against the desk. Michael stepped away from her and they laughed nervously._

"_Are you going back out to the party Angel?"_

"_Yeah, but I'm guessing you're not, right?"  
><em> 

_"Right, the ship leaves in the wee hours. I wanna get some rest before I have to deal with the bullshit space-port scenario." The two friends laughed heartily at that. Michael had always hated the drama surrounding the space-port and had been arrested a few times for starting trouble._

"_So this means that this is the last time I'm gonna see you for while."  
><em> 

_"Yeah, unless you wanna go for a Midnight Skaterun."  
><em> 

_"No, that would just be dragging it out…Here this is for you." She pulls a sealed envelope out of the top drawer and hands it to him. He starts to open it, and then realizes she probably wants it opened when no one else is around and stops._

_Jess smiles. "Bye Michael."  
><em> 

_"Bye love." He hugs her tight._

_Jess leaves the room feeling better about the separation, not knowing it would be the last time she would ever see Michael McPheron…._

I opened my eyes from the memory, and yes, now there are tears streaming down my face. My loss of Michael is the only thing that could make me forget the heart ache of what I had just gone through with my father. But it doesn't make me forget, just adds to the pain I'm already in. I grab a pillow off the bed and start crying into it. The cruel-realist voice pops back into my head:

…_You just don't seem to be able to keep men in your life Jess…_

"Shut up."

…_It's funny how the only two men in the entire universe who can hurt you like this…aren't around to care… _

"Shut the fuck _**up. **_Shut up. Shut up. Shut up."

I sat there and cried into my pillow for God knows how long. Till finally I picked myself off the floor, I grabbed my stereo system remote and flopped onto my bed. I turned on the stereo.

_No, woman, no cry;  
>No, woman, no cry;<br>No, woman, no cry;  
>No, woman, no cry.<em>

_I say I remember when a we used to sit  
>In a government yard in Trench town,<em>

_Oba - obaserving the hypocrites as they would  
>Mingle with the good people we meet, meet<br>Good friends we have, oh, good friends we have lost  
>Along the way,way<br>In this great future called life, you can't forget your past;  
>So dry your tears, I seh. Yeah!<em>

_No, woman, no cry;  
>No,no, woman, no wooman cry. Eh, yeah!<br>no no wooman no wooman no cry  
>i say I remember when we used to sit<br>In the government yard in Trenchtown,  
>And then Georgie would make the fire light,<br>I seh, logwood burnin' through the night, night  
>Then we would cook cornmeal porridge, well i mean it<br>Of which I'll share with you, yeah!  
>My feet is my only carriage<br>And so I've got to push on through.  
>but while I'm gone,<br>Everything's gonna be all right!  
>Everything's gonna be all right!<br>Everything's gonna be all right, yahj!  
>Everything's gonna be all right!<br>Everything's gonna be all right-a!  
>Everything's gonna be all right!<br>Everything's gonna be all right, yeah!Everything's gonna be all right!So no, woman, no cry;  
>No, woman, no cry.<br>I seh, O little - O little sista don't shed no tears;  
>No, woman, no cry, eh.<em>

_No, woman - no, woman - no, woman, no cry;  
>No, woman, no cry.<br>One more time I got to say:  
>O little - little darlin', please don't shed no tears;<br>No, woman, no cry._

I couldn't help but smile at the irony. There is a God after all, and He is good. Terrible shit just happens. _Shit happens._ But good things from Him are around if you look for them. Like Bob Marley.

"Praise Jah." I said out loud to no one in particular. I closed my eyes and took a well deserved nap.

_Yeah, I'm worried about my mental state too._

_**Epilogue**_

_**Five miles west of Anderville Lord Vaako sat alone in the cab of the stolen eighteen wheeler. His men were either in the trailer or out training in afternoon sun. Vaako took out a tattered envelope. He had gone through hell keeping this secret when he had been converted; the Necromongors took everything from you. But some how he had managed. He carefully pulled out the envelopes only content. A photo.**_

_**It was a picture of his old self: Michael McPheron, and Jess. It was the first picture taken of them together. They both had on black bandannas. He was pretty sure that there had been a larger copy of it in his old room as well. He smirked, he now knew after all this time what the 'R' in her name stood for. The picture itself wasn't near as important as the note that was written on the back, in Jess' neat script:**_

_**I love you Michael McPheron, I always will.**_

_**I'll holler you home. **_

_**- Jess R. Casper**_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_**Riddick— **_I wound my way carefully through the back streets of Anderville. Looking for a specific house, trying not to be seen. After I left Jess' I went out to the woods to get myself together and come up with a game plane. Jess' words still rang through my head:

…_I'm sorry I prayed to God to protect you…_

…_Yeah I guess she's pretty done with me…_

The entire time since I left 'Casper Place' I was trying to convince myself that I had done the right thing by Jess. Keeping her out of the loop and all.

…_Damn this whole __conscious __thing to hell. It's for her own good dammit! She doesn't need to go an' get herself killed by fuckin' Necros. It's better this way…_

…_Keep tellin' yourself that Rich, you know that's only the half of it…_

Oh great. My moral compass was back.

…_And what's the other half of it oh wise one? …_

Fuck, now I was _talking _to this thing.

…_The other half is you don't want to see your child hurt-physically or emotionally…_

I scoffed…_Emotionally…_

…_Well emotionally hurt by anyone other than you perhaps…_

…_It ain't like that…_

…_Exactly. You don't want to see the pain in her eyes when she is forced to see the object of her child hood affections has completely forgotten about her. Very much like another young lady-_

"_Shut up!_" I said out loud, and the voice stopped.

I stopped walking and checked out my surroundings. A nice little middle class neighborhood. I could tell that even just from the back alleys. There were children out in the streets riding bikes, spraying water-guns, and pelting each other with water balloons.

I slipped off my goggles in the soft glow of sunset and breathed in the scent of summer: sweat, chlorine, barbeque, damp ground, and heat. I exhaled slowly.

I needed to get laid.

I picked my path through garbage cans and discarded bikes till I found the house I was looking for. I hopped the fence and walked leisurely through the backyard and up onto the porch like I owned the place (in a way I guess I did) and went through the unlocked door.

…_Interesting, people feel safe enough to let their kids play in the street and leave their doors unlocked…Guess Jess is doing something right…_

I went in and made myself at home.

Layla Williams stepped out of her shower into the steamy bathroom and wrapped a towel around herself. She went over to the counter, propped her leg up, lotioning one leg then the other. She began to walk into her adjoining bedroom when she noticed the room was dark…

…._I could've sworn I left the light on…_

…and there were now candles lit in the corner…

…_What the hell…_

Layla almost screamed when she saw the figure of a rather large man sit up on her bed. The she saw who it was, and became more pissed than anything.

"Goddammit Riddick you scared the hell out of me? What the hell are you doing here anyways?"

Riddick smirked at her then stood, he was shirtless.

…_Oh yeah, guess that can mean only one thing…_

Layla Williams and Richard B. Riddick went back a ways. Far enough back with enough history that each trusted the other. Layla had been in an abusive relationship with a merc and had a child by him when she first met Riddick, who had just escaped from his first prison. They agreed to help each other, and when all was said and done, they split the bounty that was on Riddick's head and Layla never had to worry about the ass-hole merc again. She had promised to repay him in anyway possible…and had made good on that promise a few times. Riddick was now wondering if she was willing to _help_ him out now.

"I had a little run in…"

"I can see that. With who?" Layla said, nodding to his bandaged side.

"…Necros."

Her eyes went wide with fear. Riddick waved his hand.

"They just want me. Come tomorrow I'll be off planet and they'll be on me, not Pulsi."

She didn't seem at all comforted by his words. He got up and went over to her. He put his hands on each side of the door frame and leaned in, tilting his head, to talk to her.

"You think I'd be here if I knew this planet was two seconds from oblivion?"

Layla sighed, he had point there. She dropped her head,

"I guess…I thought we were even Riddick, you and me." She peaked up, which she shouldn't have done, because his dazzling mercury eyes were right there waiting for her.

He held eye contact with her for a few moments, and then let his eyes travel lazily over scantily clad body. He took in all al of her. Remembering the planes and lines of her of her body. She had a curvy but petite build on her 5'6 frame. Her still wet dark brown almost black hair framed her face. She was beautiful, not in the Classic sense, but more in the New Age standard. Her bright honey colored eyes betraying her want.

"We are, I just wanted to see if you were down, for old time's sake Layla."

Damn it. She hated how his voice could still make her melt. Especially when he said her name.

"Damn you Riddick."

Knowing he'd won, Riddick gave her a grin that could make the Devil worry. And proceeded to tear the towel from her body. He laughed when she tried to cover herself.

"No use in that baby girl."

In one swift move he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her, setting her against the wall. He lifted one of her legs over his shoulder and sealed their mouths with a hungry kiss. Quieting any more of her protests.

_**Epilogue—**_

_The next morning Layla drove the convict into the city, dropping him off at the park that was blocks away from the space port._

"_Thank you Layla."_

"_Your welcome. Richard…Be careful. Try not to get into too much trouble."_

_He grinned evilly "Where's the fun in that?"_

_Then he disappeared into the shadows._


End file.
